Entertainment complex anchors downtown growth
By Melissa Willett (Staff writer for the Fayetteville Observer Times)

Mike Axelrod discusses the progress made at Dock’s inside the former Capitol building on Hay Street.

Inside the shabby old building, Mike Axelrod can close his eyes and see vibrant colors on the walls and hear children giggling.

He can imagine men drinking beer while watching a football game and others sharing friendly banter about their golf swings. By the end of the summer, he hopes his imaginings become reality.

Axelrod is the general manager for Dock’s at the Capitol, an entertainment complex being built in downtown Fayetteville. The project, estimated at $6million, is supposed to bring more than 120 jobs.

Axelrod has been working with the N.C. Employment Security Commission to develop job descriptions and using its offices to interview prospects.

“He asked how much it was going to be and I said ‘It’s that F word — F-R-E-E,’” said Ellen Mintz, business services representative for the commission.

“When I told him that, the man looked like a sigh of relief, like the two of his biggest burdens have been taken from him — money and employees.”

Dock’s will be similar to a Dave and Buster’s or a Jillian’s, which tend to be found in larger cities such as Cincinnati or Houston.

“This is a concept that goes from ages 3 to 4 to age 85,” Axelrod said. “There’s not many places where people can go with their kids and both have a good time.”

Dock’s will anchor the Capitol building, where owner Dr. Melvin Henderson has planned six retail shops on the main floor and office space for the third floor.

Earlier this week, Axelrod described his vision as he toured the building, which showed signs of progress — partially hung drywall and installed plumbing.

“Right there will be a four-lane bowling alley,” he said. “Around here will be the main restaurant, similar to a Chris’s steakhouse. It’ll serve steak, pasta, seafood and a lot more variety in appetizers.”

Overflow from the restaurant can be accommodated in two bars — one on each floor of the complex. In between the bar and bowling alley spans the arcade, where racing simulators, Skee-Ball, basketball hoops and other games will fill the room. Games will require tickets that can be turned in for prizes.

“I’m not talking your regular prizes,” Axelrod said. “I’m talking a set of golf clubs, an Xbox 360, PlayStations — we’re talking big prizes.”

Granted, those prizes will require lots of tickets, but for parents who are happy with a teddy bear for their toddler, Dock’s will offer those, too.

To cash in your tickets, look to the back of the room for the oversized desk next to the three banquet rooms, where kids can have birthday parties or large groups can share dinner. The prizes will dangle from rafters directly under the sports bar, which will consume the majority of the second floor.

But not to worry, the stuffed animals won’t reek from the bar above. The whole place will be smoke-free.

“That will appeal to a lot of families, we believe,” he said, adding that parents can carry their drinks anywhere in the facility.

The sports bar, Axelrod said, will have more than 20 high-definition plasma televisions lining the walls, a handful of billiard tables, a couple of shuffleboard tabletops, some electronic dart boards and a golf simulator.

“There’s something for everyone,” Axelrod said.

Drawing attention

Axelrod said that if bar patrons get a little rowdy, he can close the double doors that lead into the 175-seat banquet hall. The business plans to be open seven days a week with enough room to serve up to 800 people.

That number, Axelrod says, is what he would expect on weekends, when the business will be open until 2 a.m.

“We plan on working with high schools,” Axelrod said. “You hear about what happens after prom with drinking. We’re looking at partnering with high schools to have lock-ins. It’s a safe environment for them and there won’t be the alcohol. We’ve had a couple of school groups through here already.”

Axelrod believes a revamped exterior with a refurbished Captiol sign will draw attention to the place.

“Monday through Friday, I truly believe there will be a lot of foot traffic for the restaurant,” Axelrod said. “There are plenty of people who work in the PWC building and they’re already parked.”
Parking

Speaking of parking, he says he doesn’t believe it will be an issue. After 5 p.m. there’s unlimited on-street parking and a small lot behind the building.

“There’s a whole lot in front of the courthouse, which is a block away,” said Marshall Isler, executive vice president for downtown development for the Cumberland County Business Council.

“Then there’s the lot directly across the street, next to Gotham Blues. Parking was a big concern in the beginning of this project, but we believe it’s been taken care of.”

Market studies anticipate 175,000 people a year coming to Dock’s, Isler said.

“That alone, when you think about the number coming through, that provides spinoffs to other restaurants and businesses,” he said. “The idea is that this will be a destination to draw people to downtown.”

Continuing changes

The city’s center is already abuzz with change right now, according to Valerie Summers, business development and marketing manager for the business council.

Next door to the Capitol building, Horne’s Deli will be opening in the next few weeks under the same management team that runs Huske Hardware.

In the former It Can Be Arranged space, Walter Guy has plans to relocate his self-named jewelry store from Westwood Shopping Center. By May, the owners of Braz-N-Rabbit intend to move beside The Chocolate Lady from the Clarion Prince Charles Hotel.

Last month Kindred Spirits, a home store, opened on Franklin Street and, only a block away, Kindred Spirits Boutique, an unrelated beauty and accessories store, opened within the same week.

On Person Street, it appears that Hamburger Heaven may be getting ready to open as well.

In the opposite direction, The Women’s Center of Fayetteville building is getting a facelift. The 300 block of Hay Street has sold more than half of its residential and retail spaces. And the Festival Park amphitheater near Rowan Street and Ray Avenue is progressing, too.

“Once we go in, I think it’ll be the next wave of people flocking to downtown,” Axelrod said.